Animal trap



April 21, 1 3 J. M. SCHILTZ ANIMAL TRAP Filed Aug. 8. 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet l A ril 21, 1931'. J. M. SCHILTZ ANIMAL TRAP Filed Aug. 8. 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 71-107 c7. 772.5'chiltg.

Patented Apr. 21, 1931 I V UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE JOHN IVLSCHILTZ, 025 LOS .ANGELES, CALIFORNIA ANIMAL TRAP Application filed August 8, 1928. Serial No. 298,188.

This invention relates to improvementsin animal trap has disclosed in'Figures 1 to 4 animal traps and particularly to traps deinclusive, consists of a container which signed to catch rodents such as rats and in the preferred form of construction is a mice. glass jar which is transparent so that the I An object of the invention is to provide interior may be seen through the walls 55 an improved animal trap which may be thereof. The neck of the jar is preferably easily, quickly and cheaply constructed and threaded as indicated at 11 so as to receive which will not only entice animals into the a metal cap 12. An opening 13 is formed trap but safely confine them therein. V 1 in the cap providing an entrance to the con-' 10 Another object of the invention is to protainer and in the modification shown in 60' vide an improved animal trap wherein there Figures 1-4: inclusive. This opening is is a container having an entrance with two formed by striking out a portion 14; of the doors for closing the entrance which have. cap and bending it downwardly on its lower parts engageable with a chute so that when edge 15 to form a stepshown in Fig. 1.

15 the doors are in closed position they cannot This portion preferably has lateral feet 16 65 be opened from the inside to permit the adapted to engage the floor and prevent the escape of an animal or rodent, but may be container 10 from rolling. Behind the cap opened from the outside to permit the en- 12 and behind the opening 13 therein, there trance and entrapping of additional animals. is formed a chute, generally indicated at 17.

Anotherobject of the invention is to pro- This chute is formed by taking a section of 70 I vide an animal trap consisting of a consheet metal and bending it to provide a'bot; tainer having an entrance closable by one tom 18 and upstanding, parallel sides 19. or more doors and which has a construc- The forward edges of the sides and bottom tion for holding the doors open until the fit againstthe interior surface of-the cap 12 animal has entered the container and then about the opening 13 and have lugs 20 75 releasing the doors, allowing them to close. formed thereon which extend through aper- With the foregoing and other objects in .tures in the cap and which are clinched over view which will be made manifest in the against the forward side of the cap. In following detailed description and specifithis manner the chute is permanently and cally pointed out in the appended claims, rigidly fastened to the cap 12, forming a 3 reference is had to the accompanying drawpassage through which animals entering the ings for an illustrative embodiment of the opening 13 may pass into the jar 10. In invention wherein; each of the upstanding sides 19, adjacent its Fig. 1 is a perspective view of one form forward end there are formed two apertures of the improved animal trap. 21 and 22 which are circular in form. 'Two 35 Fig. 2 is a longitudinal, vertical section gates or doors 23 and 24 are provided which through the improved animal trap. v fit between the upstanding sides 19. Each Fig. '3 is -.a vertical transverse section door has lugs 25 formed on its side edges taken substantially upon the line 3-3, upon adjacent their upper ends which lugs extend 40 Fig, 2. I V through the apertures 21 and 22 serving as 90 Fig. 4: is a view similar to Fig. 2, illustrunnions on which the doors pivot. The trating the trap in its initial set position. doors 23 and 24 are preferably perforated Fig. 5 is a longitudinal, vertical section and have thelr lower edges toothed as indithrough amodified form of the construction cated at 26. They are arranged, one beof the improved trap. V I hind the other andare of such length that )5 Fig. 6 is a front view in elevation of the when the doors are in closed positions their modification shown in Fig- 5. bottom edges will engage the bottom, 18 of Referring to the accompanying drawings 7 the chute. The forward door 23 has its top wherein similar reference charactersdesigbent rearwardly as indicated at 27, above nate similar parts throughout the improved its pivot forming a rearwardly and upwardkm 1y extending flange constituting an abutment. The rear door 2e has its upper end bent slightly forward as indicated at 28. The purpose of this construction will be hereinafter more fully set forth.

Near the rear of the sides 19 tnere are formed apertures 29 which receive lugs 30 formed on the side edges of a treadle 31 so that the treadle will be pivotally mounted above the bottom of the chute and between the side walls. The pivot of the treadle is located at approximately its center. The treadle 31 carries an upstanding finger 32, the top of which is bent inwardly a short distance, indicated at 33, constituting a trigger. The bottom 18 of the chute has a tongue struck out and bent rearwardly, forming a bait holder for the bait 35.

The operation of the improved animal trap is as follows: The trap is initially set as indicated in Fig. s.- with the bait 35 on the bait holder an am the doors 23 and 2e swung rearwardly. The rear door 2% is recessed as indicated :t so that it may pass upwardly without engaging the trigger 33. The forward door of such a length that when it is swung rearwardly its bottom edge will engage the forward edge of the finger 32, swinging the trcadle 31 slightly to enable the forward door 23 to be swung above the trigger 33. The doors are then released with the forward door 23 resting on the trigger and the door 2 resting on the door 23.

When an animal approaches the trap it is possible for it to look through the opening 13 and the chute to see the bait. It may enter the trap through the opening in the chute. hen it walks on the forward half of the treadle 31 no movement of the trap takes place but as the animal continues and places its weight on the rear half of the treadle, the treadlc pivots on its trunnions 3O lifting the trigger and releasing the forward door 23 which was supporting the rear door 24?. Both doors then. fall by gravity into the position shown in Fig. 2. l

When in such position it is possible for additional animals to enter the trap. They may see the animal already entrapped eating the bait and endeavor to also enter. A. second animal on entering the trap merely pushes inwardly against the doors, first moving the outer door 23 so that the abutment 27 is no longer opposite the portion 28. When in this position the second door is about to be pushed inwardly and both doors can be moved inwardly b0 permit the entrance of the second animal. The second animal does not move the doors su'fiiciently high as to again set them on the trigger If the second animal should move the doors sufficiently high as to again set them on the trigger the movement of the second animal on to the treadle will cause the doors to be released again. If the second animal occupies the chute, escape of the animal which may be already entrapped in the container is eflect' ely prevented while the doors are open. In this way it is possible to catch a plurality of animals in the same trap at the same time. i

It has been experienced that certain rodents such rats and mice have sufiicient intelligence to endeavor to get out of the trap and to lift the door closing the entrance. Escape in this manner from the improved. trap is prevented. If the animal places his paws beneath the toothed edge of the rear door 2% and endeavors to lift it, the portion 28 swings against the part 2'? preventing this movement and tending to swing the forward door 23 into a closed position.

The improved animal trap is also advantageous in that if the trap is turned over, the doors will not open. to permit the escape of the animal. When the trap is turned over it frequently happens that the door 2% tends to swing into open position causing the portions 27 and to engage. The friction between these portions is suflicient to prevent further opening movement, and the doors will thus remain closed. However as the doors may not catch in the position last mentioned further precaution is taken. VJhen the trap is turned over the forward portion of the treadle 31 being the heavier, this portion will swing downwardly as indicated in dotted lines on Fig. 2. It will usually swing downwardly very quickly before the door 24 swings downwardly. The length of the door 2d is such that when the treadle is in the dotted line position the bottom edge of the door will engage the forward edge of the treadle to prevent further opening movement.

In the modification disclosed in Figs. 5 and 6 there is a trap of somewhat larger construction designed to entrap larger animals. This construction consists of a jar or container t0 raving a cap 4:1 in which is formed a large circular opening l2. The chute 43 is fastened to the cap in a manner similar to the chute 17 and is provided with two doors 4:4: and L5 which are constructed like the doors 23 and 2a and which operate in the same manner. The treadle 16 which is pivoted in the chute has its upstanding finger :7 extending upwardly and forwardly forming the trigger supporting the doors in their set position. The treadle functions in the same manner as the treadle 31 but is given the shape shown in Fig. 5 so that the chute 43 may be lengthened to accommodate larger animals.

From the above described construction it will be appreciated that a novel animal trap is provided having a container which has an entrance closable by double doors. The doors are so constructed as to permit an animal to enter thecontainer but it is impossible to open the doors from the interior. The doors can be easily opened, however, from the exterior to permit the entrance of a second or more animals to be entrapped therein. It will further be appreciated that the improved animal trap is of cheap, simple and durable construction and can be applied to any container desired.

Various changes may be made in the details of construction without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention as designed by the appended claims.

I claim,

1. An animal trap comprising means providing a container having an entrance, two doors pivoted adjacent the entrance and arranged one behind the other, means on the outer door adapted to be engaged by the inner door when the doors are in closed position for preventing the doors from bein opened from the inside but permitting them to be opened from the outside, and a trigger pivotally mounted adjacent the doors adapted to be engaged by an animal, for releasably holding the doors in open position.

2. An animal trap comprising means providing a container having an entrance, two

pivoted doors, arranged one behind the other, adapted to be closed by gravity for closing the entrance, means providing an abutment on the outer door adjacent its pivot adapted to be engaged by the inner door when the doors are in closed position to prevent the doors from being opened from the inside but permitting them to be opened from the outside, and a treadle pivotally mounted behind the rying a trigger for doors in open position.

3'. An animal trap comprising means, providing a container having an entrance, two doors arranged, one behind the other for closing the entrance, and a trigger for holding both doors open but adapted torelease them on an animal entering the container, and means for preventing the doors from being opened from the inside of the container but permitting them to be opened from the outside.

4. An animal trap comprising means, providing a container, a chute leading into the container, a door for closing the chute, a treadle pivotally mounted in the chute, and a trigger carried by the treadle adapted to hold the door in open position but to release,

it when the treadle is walked on by an animal, said treadle and door being so formed that if the trap is placed in an inverted posi tion the treadle will be engaged by the door to prevent its moving into open position.

5. An animal trap comprising means providing a container, a chute leading into the container, two doors arranged one behind the doors, said treadle carreleasably holding both other for closing the chute, a treadle pivotally Inounted-in the chute, and a trig er operable by the treadle adapted to hold both oors in open position until the treadle is Walked on and then to release them;

6. An animal trap comprising means pro- 7. An animal trap comprising means providing a container, a chute leading into the container, two doors arranged one behind the other for closing the chute, a treadle pivotally mounted in the chute, and a tri ger operable by the treadle adapted to hold both doors in open. position until the treadle is Walked on and then to release them, and means for preventing the doors from being opened from the inside but permitting them a to be opened from the outside.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

JOHN M. SCHILTZ 

